[bcbirdclub] Sparrow Day Event
- From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rmayhorn@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "BCBC Listserve" <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2012 17:18:37 -0500
Yesterday, Nov 3, 13 birders gathered at the home of David and Susan Raines to
enjoy their annual Sparrow Day celebration. With the morning starting out with
29° and heavy frost, the fire David had going in the fire pit was welcome, as
was the warm coffee, sausage balls and pumpkin muffins Susan provided.
The birding started early with David hearing the call of a Great Horned Owl
near dawn before other birders arrived. David also scared up a Great Blue Heron
from the small creek that runs along his property. It was probably the same
Great Blue that flew up from the creek just downstream as Lynda and I arrived.
We found 44 species for the day. Some of the other highlights of the day were
the four hawk species that were seen circling overhead or zipping past the bird
feeders in the yard (complete list below).
While birding a back field lined with autumn olive bushes and willows the group
found a first of the season Fox Sparrow and a Winter Wren. A Belted Kingfisher
went chattering across the blue, fall sky and Blue Jays, Crows and Pileated
Woodpeckers could be heard in the surrounding woods. A Red-breasted Nuthatch in
the company of a small flock of Chickadees spent several minutes gathering
seeds from pine cones and hiding them in the crevices of the bark of nearby
tulip poplars. An adult Yellow-bellied Sapsucker fed in a tree along the stream
edge just in front of the Raines' home, and Purple Finches and Pine Siskins
were coming to the feeders or working the trees nearby. A Brown Thrasher made
trips to the sunflower seed feeder. A Northern Mockingbird spent much of its
time feeding from the heavily fruited dogwood trees and the rest of its time
trying to keep other birds away.
Six sparrow species were present, but the numbers were down to what they had
been just before the foot of snow that fell last week.
Those birders present for the day were Don & Dawn Carrier, Peggy Herbert, Tom
Hunter, John & Sherry Kelly, Fred & Janice Martin, Roger & Lynda Mayhorn, David
& Susan Raines, Ed & Mary Talbott and Dave Worley. More Sparrow Day photos are
located at http://www.pbase.com/mayhorn/sparrow_day_2012
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
44 species
Turkey Vulture 22
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 juv
Cooper's Hawk 1 juv
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Mourning Dove 10
Great Horned Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1m
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 adult
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Phoebe 4
Blue Jay 9
American Crow 10
Common Raven 2
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 12
White-breasted Nuthatch 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 6
Winter Wren 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 8
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 27
Cedar Waxwing 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Eastern Towhee 3m
Chipping Sparrow 5
Field Sparrow 2
Fox Sparrow 1 (FOS)
Song Sparrow 6
White-throated Sparrow 6
Northern Cardinal 9 (4m, 5f)
Red-winged Blackbird 2m
Common Grackle 1
Purple Finch 6
House Finch 5 (1m, 4f)
Pine Siskin 4
Purple Pine Siskin 1 (species endemic only to the Raines property :)
American Goldfinch 7
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